Platinum Kiss
by MamaPenguin
Summary: Anyone ever wondered what happened in that blank between Simon kissing Zoe & them leaving to go lure Christopher into the trap? Well, here's MY theory. I only own character Benjamin. Please give it a chance,I know my summary sucks!
1. New Vampires

Okay, so growing up around guys like I did,_ I_ made the page break into something dirty. Go figure. _I_ think that a little something-something happened with Simon & Zoe that was skipped over for rating reasons. So what if, oh, I dont know, something _happened_ after that? Well, this is what I'm going for...

* * *

_She could barely see him now. He was just a shimmer, like ghostly heat raising from a long and lonely road. Her tears wouldn't stop. They flowed long after there was nothing but the memory of a faint voice._

_"I love you, Zoe."_

_It's up to me now, she thought. But somehow, it wasn't scary anymore._

_---_

It had been a month since Simon had left. Her mother had died 5 days ago & she & her father were now sitting casket-side at the burial ceremony. It was raining hard as it had been the night she & Simon had went to visit her mother. But her mind wasn't on Simon or her mother. Her mind was on the mysterious bruise that had been on her mother's neck. She'd once had the same bruise. From Simon. Okay, maybe her mind was on both of them. But there weren't any vampires left in her little town, were they? Christopher & Simon were the only ones, right? She stood when her father tapped her & approached the casket. She placed her rose on it & walked away. Her father stared after her. When he finally came back to the car, the rain was really coming down. He pulled her to him.

"It's gonna be okay, sweetie. I know it hurts." He was mistaking her confusion & curiosity for pain. She decided to drop the matter & concentrate on getting their lives back in order.

---

(2 Months later.)

"What do you mean, you're late?!" Lorraine exclaimed worriedly over the phone.

"Not me, _him_." She looked around the kitchen, finding it empty, but she lowered her voice anyway. "_Tom_ hasn't visited in a while."

"Oh. My. God. That little boy toy of yours?"

"I think so."

"God, when was the last time you saw him?"

"2 months & 23 days."

"Is it possible then?"

"Yeah."

"How possible?"

"Not quite as believable as it would be if it were you, but…"

"No, I mean you actually….. did it?"

"Once?" She said, concernedly. Lorraine screamed.

"My god! Not that I'd wish it on myself, but it's so not fair! I've been all the way a million times… well, not necessarily a million, but you know what I mean…. And you go there once & you get freaking knocked up!"

"Shhhh!" Zoe said. "I'm not absolutely sure."

"Well, I'm sorry, but it's just not fair to you."

"Thanks, Lorraine. That means a lot. I just want to know if that's how my dad'll take it."

"He'll want to kill the sorry guy who did this."

"Well, that's just too bad."

'He already killed himself.' She thought.

"Dammit! Zoe, I'm so sorry!" She heard yelling in the background. "Zoe, my new _stepmommy's_ calling. You'll let me know when you know for sure?" She nodded, but then remembered she was on the phone.

"Yeah, I will."

"Good luck, Zo."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye." There was a buzzing tone on the line. She replaced the phone on the receiver & went to the living room & switched on the television where there was the headline of a new mysterious killing a couple of towns over. It was getting closer. Soon she would be staying indoors at night & never invite anyone in. No vampire could come in uninvited. Her father came in 30 minutes later. She heard him go to the refrigerator & grab a beer before he came into the living room. He kissed her forehead.

"You okay sweetheart? You look pale."

"Do I?" He nodded.

"I feel fine."

"What about that little fit of yours this morning?"

"I went to my last 2 period classes & got counted for the day." He hugged her.

"That's my girl. You sure you're okay this time?" She nodded. "If you're sick tomorrow, I don't want you going to school at all, okay?" She nodded again

"I think I'll go to bed now, I'm exhausted." He agreed & she crept upstairs, falling on her bed, not bothering to undress.

"God, Simon. What if it's true?" Two tears rolled down her cheeks & she rolled over, putting her back to the window & the painful memories that moonlight brought with it. If she'd been looking out of her window, she would have seen the pair of silvery eyes looking in at her that glowed also with the moon.

Benjamin looked in on her from the window box outside. Even from here, the smell of Simon emanated from her. He felt like spitting, the name left such a bad taste. His dear cousin. He would be dead soon. Both he _and_ his brother. It was his duty. His right. All deeds of the evil vampires should be stopped. And as soon as possible. It had to be him doing the killing around here. The newspapers were buzzing around it. But how, he thought, could Simon's scent be on her if he'd been staking out the house all night? Noone had come in or gone out. Unless…. Unless the sinful being lived _in_ the house. He very well couldn't have come in during daylight. But if he was in the house, why didn't he stop her crying? It was ridiculous. She spoke of him as if he were a lover, but no, he wouldn't console her right then? It made no sense.

"Damn." He said & shifted his particles, drifting back to the ground & regrouping there. He would go find something to eat & then return to his home until the next evening.

* * *

So what do ya think? Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please (Takes a deep breath) PLEASE review so I know whether or not to continue. Thank you.

PS- You know what? Never Mind. I'll continue anyway, just tell me it sucks & don't read it anymore because otherwise it just sits here & clogs up my computer.


	2. More Problems

Zoe woke up at 5:30 in the morning throwing up again. At 6, her dad came in and held her hair for almost an hour and a half.

"Zoe, honey, I want you to stay here today."

"Okay, dad." He pulled her hair through a scrunchy & sighed.

"I have to get ready for work." She nodded barely & threw up again. He left the room muttering about it being weird. He came back fifteen minutes later to say good bye. She stopped by 9:30 & took a shower & got dressed, leaving the house at 10 for a walk. It was bright outside, but her mood was dark. She knew what she had to do now, but she was terrified to do it. She stopped absently in front of Lorraine's old house. She would know what to do. She wished she could call but their weekly call yesterday had already gone longer than was allowed. She sighed & continued walking toward town. She passed the park & had to stop again. This time she turned off the sidewalk & went to sit on the bench. There were a couple of guys in the corner that were too cool for school who looked her way, but she must not have looked that great because they went back to their business.

She sighed & stared at the exact spot she had first seen Simon standing there in the light of the moon. She wanted him there so badly now. She needed him there. Simon would know what to do about this.

It was noon when she finally left and she had made up her mind. She went home at a fairly quick pace and took a little money for the bus out of her savings. It was a short walk to the stop and a moderate wait for the bus. At the clinic, she signed in and sat down again. She couldn't help but watch the mothers-to-be. One or two of them had their husbands with them, probably finding out the gender of their baby that day. Some looked close to term. She wrung her hands until her name was called. Her doctor was a kind-looking woman with a sweet voice.

"Okay sweetie, I'll need you to do a few things for me..."

Okay, as I have thankfully never had to take a pregnancy test ((My boyfriend is thankful for that too. lol.)), I don't know the exact procedure, so I'll just skip over this little part and go right to the results.


	3. Good and Bad News

Zoe knew she was pregnant just by the look on the doctor's face when she came in to tell her: it was supportive, but worried for her.

"Honey, do you have anyone with you? Perhaps a friend or your parents?" Zoe shook her head.

"Well, be careful getting home, there are those killings going on out there." Zoe nodded as the doctor walked her to the waiting room. She went straight back to the door and walked home, rather than riding the bus. It gave her something to do other than sit there and despair over the fact that she was having a baby and its father had finally left the earth after some 200 years. Although it did mean she would still have a piece of Simon still with her. She didn't even notice when it got dark because she was trying to think of a way to tell her father. He would feel guilty because it happened when he wasn't around much and he was bound to think that was why. She thoughtlessly walked up the path to the house and pulled her key out of her pocket. The windows were still dark. She was suddenly grabbed from behind with one of the person's arms around her middle restraining her with impossible but more or less gentle strength & their other hand covering her mouth.

"Listen to me, I have no reason to hurt you, I'm here for Simon, not you. I just need you to invite me in." Zoe had gasped at Simon's name, but calmed down so he would take his hand away. "Now I'm going to take my hand off your mouth. Do not scream or I will kill you and deal with Simon later. Understand?" She nodded and he released her, grabbing her arm. She turned to him.

"How do you know Simon?" She asked.

"He's my cousin."

"Oh, well, in that case, I'm sorry but Simon's... Simon died months ago."

"I'm not stupid, wench, let me in so I can speak to him." Zoe sighed and turned to the door, unlocking it & opened it.

"Would you like to come in?" She said. Benjamin stepped over the threshold and sampled the air. He didn't smell Simon.

"Where is he?"

"I told you, he's gone."

"Dammit, I'm done playing with you! Where. Is. Simon?"

"I'm telling you the truth. At least tell me your name." That shut him up. He reacted much the same way Simon had when Zoe had asked for his name.

"It's...it's Benjamin."

"Nice to meet you Benjamin, and I'm sorry I can't help you." And with those small words, he was infuriated again.

"Okay, then, it's obvious I can't get to him." He grabbed her face by the jaw and made her look at him. When Zoe's thoughts began to cloud, she knew what was going on. Simon had called this a moon weave. Just when she couldn't even stand without him holding her up, she felt a familiar sharp pain at her neck and then felt nothing else.

Benjamin drained just enough blood to keep her from being any trouble carrying her, then he forced himself to stop with some difficulty. He laid her on the couch and went up to her room to leave a note for Simon

Hello, cousin.

I'm sure you thought you'd lost me in Europe all those years ago, didn't you? Guess again. How naive of you to believe that I wouldn't catch up, to not inform your weakest point of me, to warn her. You know how to find me if you want her back.

See you soon,

Benjamin

He picked the girl up when he was ready to leave (she was curiously light) and carried her to his new home in an abandoned house.

Zoe woke in her room with moonlight pouring into it.

Was it a dream? She thought, but then someone touched her and she flinched, curling into a defensive ball.

"Love, don't be afraid. It's me." She sat up straight with a gasp and looked straight into the perfect face of her fair-haired vampire sitting in her window sill. She threw her arms around his neck.

"Simon! Oh my god, so much has been happening and I'm...I'm..."

"I know, love. And I want you to take care of yourself. You're living for three now." He said with a grin.

"What? Three?"

"You, the baby, and well, you've always had to live for me." Zoe breathed again.

"Oh thank god. I thought you meant I was having twins." Simon snickered.

"I should hope not." He looked down and grinned sheepishly. "Your mother's unhappy enough with me as it is." Zoe gasped.

"You met mom?" He nodded.

"She is not happy with me for leaving you. I have to say, if I had known that you would be going through what you are going through, I wouldn't have." Zoe's face fell.

"This is all a dream, isn't it?" Simon nodded.

"That it is, brave heart."

"And you'll go away when I wake up."

"Well, I've never really went away. I have continued to watch over you."

"So you know I met Benjamin?" Simon frowned.

"Yes, I saw that. I am sorry to have brought you into that, I thought I had lost him. And don't worry, I have had that note for me switched with a note for your father telling him about the pregnancy and the test and that you are just away to think but you will be back soon." Zoe nodded and rested comfortably against his cold chest.

"And you met mom." She stated again.

"Yes. You are very much alike, you know."

"No way. She's way happier to be around than me." Simon laughed.

"When you put it that way, I should say so." They fell silent for a few moments then Simon sighed. "Our time is nearly up. Zoe." She could tell he wanted her to look at him and angled her head to look into his eyes which were searching for hers. "Do I need to tell you not to do anything stupid? Benjamin is a peaceful one like me. He would much rather not kill you. Do not give him a reason to." Zoe nodded.

"Simon, why does he want you?"

"He thinks I'm in league with Christopher."

"But why?" Simon took a breath.

"Benjamin is a little more than a decade younger than me. And you'll notice that he looks older than I do. He was changed shortly after I began chasing Christopher. Christopher thought it would be a good game to have an accomplice that Benjamin never saw the face of and say it was me. Christopher changed Benjamin too. He did the same thing to Benjamin that he did to me. And once his 'master' was killed, the accomplice was to call through the door that he was going to talk to the staff and when Benjamin asked, Christopher told him he and the accomplice were his cousins, Christopher and Simon. The lost sons of his father's brother. And once he came to realize what a monster Christopher had made him, as I did, he escaped and vowed to kill Christopher and myself."

"So why didn't you ever mention a cousin?"

"His father owned our grandfather's land in Ireland. How Christopher got over there, I may never know." He breathed in the scent of her hair. "I'm afraid our time is up, my love."

"Will I see you again?"

"That is indefinite." She nodded.

"So I'll see you eventually?"

"Yes. But you will never be alone."

"I love you."

"I love you too. Take care of yourself and our little one."

"I will."

Then she woke up in a familiar room, but not her own. She felt it coming and ran down the hall to the bathroom she knew the exact location of.

After a first fit, she sat against the bathtub waiting for the next one. Then she recognized the tile. the design of the bathroom. She went back to the room she'd left. She gasped. She was in Lorraine's old house. Was she dreaming again?

"Are you all right?" Came a voice. She turned around. Benjamin looked genuinely worried.

"Yes, it's normal for me. Excuse me." She felt the second wave coming and she knew that it couldn't be a dream. It was too dark in the house. He must have been staying there. When she finally came out, Benjamin was waiting for her.

"Here." He handed her a cold sandwich and was gone.

"Thank...you..." She whispered after him. She returned to Lorraine's room to eat the sandwich, then picked up a book lying on the window sill. It wasn't anything Lorraine would have ever owned: a copy of Faust. She opened it to the first page of the book...


	4. Surprisingly Pleasant Conversation

She was deeply absorbed in the book when there was a knock on the open door. She looked up to see Benjamin's figure in the door.

"You okay now?" She nodded.

"Yes, I am. And I really wish you would believe me. Simon is dead."

"I'd really like to make sure for myself. I've worked so hard to catch him. He and his brother." He bit his lip. "May I ask you a question?"

"Sure. I'm not in any position to say no, am I?" He chuckled.

"No, I suppose you're not. Feel free to say no to this, though. May I sit down?" He said, indicating the bed. She deliberated. "I won't bite." He told her with a grin.

"Yeah, I guess you can." He came over and sat on the edge of the mattress.

"How... how can you love a monster like Simon? Or do you?"

"He's no monster. Not to me at least. He's sweet."

"And you're perfectly okay with him murdering other humans?"

"He doesn't. When he can help it. He's admitted that there have been times that he couldn't stop himself before it was too late, but I'm living proof he can do it."

"He's... he's bitten you?" She nodded. "How long ago?"

"Roughly a week before he died."

"Oh, okay. May I ask another question?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you know Christopher?"

"Yes, I knew him."

"Knew him?"

"Simon killed Christopher before he... before he killed himself."

"Why would Simon kill his accomplice? And his brother, at that?"

"Because they weren't accomplices. And Christopher is the one who killed their mother."

"I knew about that. He told me. Christopher was the one who changed me."

"He changed Simon too."

"I know. Despicable creature."

"He tried to kill my friend, Lorraine. She used to live here, actually."

"Well, how else could you have been friends?"

"No, I mean in this house. She moved the same day Simon killed Christopher." Benjamin sighed heavily.

"You know, you're selling that too much. It's annoying."

"But Christopher really his dead and Simon killed him. I helped." She finished lamely. Benjamin sighed and massaged his temples. His pale skin and dark clothes contrasted greatly. He dressed very much like Simon. The freshly fed blood red eyes looked out of place against his handsome features and wiry build.

"Benjamin." He sighed again and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask a few questions now?"

"I suppose."

"Do you remember your human life?" His eyes widened like they had when she'd asked his name. Then he relaxed.

"Yes. I do remember. I haven't allowed myself to forget."

"What were you like?" He grinned a little.

"I was a lad in the green hills of Ireland." He said with a perfect accent and chuckled. "My father didn't believe in having children just socializing with nobles all day and night like my uncle allowed Simon to. My sisters and I, we worked the fields just as much as the servants. Needless to say my skin used to be much darker. And my eyes were green. I'm thinner than I used to be, and stronger. Neither are much of a surprise."

"You had sisters?"

"Yes. Both were younger. Evelyn and Maggie. Maggie was the baby and we took to each other much better than either of us connected with Evelyn."

"Bet it was hard on her when Christopher changed you. But she had Evelyn I guess." Benjamin shook his head.

"No. I was four years older than Evelyn. She two years more than Maggie. She drowned when I was about eleven. I have always been terrified of water. I would not jump in to save her."

"Well, if you're terrified of water, you don't now how to swim, right? So a lot of good it would have done to lose you both." Benjamin shook his head.

"I'm absolutely sure I would have braved it for Maggie. That's what's so horrible about it. But I had had the idea she couldn't drown. God couldn't allow that to such a young girl." He looked down. "Mother grieved for months."

"So you had your entire family? I mean, besides Evelyn?"

"Yes."

"So they must have missed you."

"Father did. Maggie did. Mother was glad to be rid of such a coward that would let his own sister drown."

"But Benjamin, that's horrible!" He shrugged.

"Evelyn was her first daughter. Her favorite. Maggie and I were father's."

"Your mother and father didn't love the others?"

"Oh, they both loved us, to be sure. But not as much as their favored." He was silent for a moment. "I went back to check on her before I made the passage here, knowing I could never work up the courage to go back. Maggie. She married a merchant. Three beautiful, healthy children."

"Then you came after Simon and Christopher."

"The reasons I couldn't go in and hug my nephews and niece. The reasons I couldn't be there for my baby sister at her wedding as she had always told me she wanted. Even as a little girl." They fell silent for a moment.

"Simon helped me see that death wasn't so hard to deal with. My mother died of cancer nearly three months ago."

"I'm 's a lot of loss you went through all at once." She nodded. She wanted so badly to tell of the loss that doubled as a gain that she was carrying, but a comforting, familiar voice told her she shouldn't tell him about the baby.

"I'm sorry that you had to suffer because of Christopher as well. But I promise you that Simon had absolutely nothing to do with it. He wouldn't even change me so he wouldn't be so lonely. He would never wish his curse on someone else."

'Glad you think so highly of me.' The same voice chuckled.

"I hope you understand that I still can't let you go. Even if what you're saying is true and he's changed then I still need to see it for myself." He eyed the volume lying next to Zoe on the bed.

"You like it so far?" He said, pointing to it.

"It's a little difficult to understand at first, but yes. Is it yours? I know it wasn't Lorraine's."

"Yes, it is. I picked it up out of my father's library. It's one of the only things I have left of home."

"That and the soil of your homeland." He nodded.

"Yes. Out of the very fields I used to plant and harvest. Can't tell you where I keep it for obvious reasons." She nodded. "Well, I'll let you get on with that book." He stood and went to the door where he stopped. "For what it's worth, for a sadistic and cruel being, he has picked his match well." And he was gone.


	5. Accidents Happen

"See, I told you he did not mean you harm, didn't I?" Simon told her, pulling her close. Zoe had just fallen asleep and Simon had held true and watched her through the day.

"So it was your voice I was hearing?"

"You were not imagining it, no."

"Why can't I tell Benjamin the reason I'm getting sick?"

"Because that might put pressure on him and he could do stupid things. He is still an easily frightened boy. Has the human instinct of self-preservation and a childish dislike of losing. Very much like Christopher put to better use."

"So what else should I restrain from to keep myself alive?"

"Well, don't sell the I'm dead story so much. Only bring it up when he's talking about finding me. Even then, you might roll your eyes and keep going at times."

"Don't tell him you're dead until I can't take it anymore. Got it. And food? Any way you can like give him ideas such as the fact that I need to eat a little more than he does?" Simon laughed.

"Sorry, sweetheart, he'll have to figure that one out." He sighed. "Well, time's up again."

"So fast?"

"I'm afraid so, love." She adjusted more comfortably in his chest.

"Why do we have to have time limits like visiting hours in prison?"

"Because the living and the dead aren't meant to mingle."

"We've stretched that rule before." He laughed again.

"That was the live and the undead, darling."

"Oh," She said sarcastically. "Now I see your point." He chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Behave yourself." And she woke again because of a crash somewhere else in the house. She got up and went to the kitchen where a left-behind glass had fallen from the counter.

"Benjamin?" She asked looking around her and behind her. Not seeing him, she bent down to clean it up. Just when she picked up the first piece, a voice sounded from the door behind her.

"DON'T TOUCH IT!" It yelled and she yelled, slicing her finger open with the glass. She turned and saw Benjamin standing there.

"Benjamin! You scared the hell out of me!"

"I... told you not to touch it." He said, his rust-colored eyes zeroing in on her finger. She suddenly realized what she had done: allowed fresh blood to reach the senses of a vampire that she had no clue as to how long ago he had fed. He was visibly trying to hold himself back from her and she could see him shake ever so slightly. Suddenly, he gave in and leapt at her, knocking her to the floor. She felt another sharp pain in her neck and slowly felt her awareness drain. Right on the edge of consciousness, she heard a snarl and felt the weight of Benjamin lift away. Right before her ears began to roar, she heard a strangled gag, but then she slipped away.


	6. Return

When Zoe came to, there was an annoying beeping in her ear and she was fairly uncomfortable. She raised her hand to scratch her head and it was restrained. She gasped and her eyes snapped open. A hospital. She felt someone nearly touching her and looked over. She saw very familiar silvery hair and his hand was close to where she had put hers back down. She grinned and brushed her fingers along it, jerking them back in shock...

Simon's skin was warm. He jarred and sat up, popping his back and neck.

"Note to self, sleeping leaned over in a chair is not a very good idea." He mumbled.

"Simon!" He jumped again and saw she was awake.

"Zoe, love, finally you're awake!" He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"You're... you're warm." He laughed.

"I'm alive should be a bigger surprise."

"But I saw you die. You met mom!" He laughed again.

"Yes. I've been given the mission to protect you. And in that, I've been given new life." He kissed her cheek.

"Very warm, come here." She said, tugging on his hand. He just chuckled.

"That would not be a very good idea. Your father will be back at any moment."

"Dad's here?"

"I had to call him. I told him that you had come to me a few towns over when you had found out about the baby and had been staying with me before you decided you'd rather commit suicide than go home to see the disappointment on your father's face."

"The baby! Nothing happened to it?" He smiled gently.

"No, everything is in tact." She sighed then narrowed her eyes at him.

"Suicide?"

"I couldn't explain the wound on the neck otherwise. I caught you in mid-attempt and took the blade from you before you could do any further damage and that's why it's only on a small side."

"How'd my dad take it?"

"Angry at first, but he's come to see what you meant. And he's very thankful that I love you enough to have stopped you."

"Well, I'm all he has left."

"Oh, I guess there's that too. But I think he was worried that I was going to run out on you and the baby."

"I hadn't thought of that. I guess it's just because I know you wouldn't." There was a knock on the door and her dad came in.

"Hey, sweetheart, you're awake." He came over and kissed her forehead. "I was just coming to tell Simon I was leaving for work, honey, you think you'll be okay?"

"I know I will." She smiled up at her father.

"Okay, I'll be back when I get off." She nodded and he left.

"What happened to Benjamin?" She asked Simon.

"He got away. And now he probably thinks you were lying the whole time and is looking for Christopher. Having said that there's something you should know." She cocked her head and looked over his serious expression carefully. "Benjamin isn't the only vampire around. There are more, doing the killings in the nearby area. I haven't been able to pinpoint them so I can't say if it's more than two but it's too much for one." He finally looked at her for he had been staring at the floor. "And they seem confident they won't be found."

"Which means?"

"Me being human again isn't going to help get rid of them. They have to have some ammount of power. Either that or they're just ostentatious."

"Let's hope its the second." He smiled and covered her hand with his.

"Yes. Let's hope." At that moment a nurse came in to check her vitals.

"Hello, honey, how are you feeling?"

"Fine." She fiddled with the many tubes and wires and eyed her readouts.

"Well you're looking great for the shape you came in."

"That's good, right?" She chuckled.

"Yes, dear, that's very good. We expected you here for the rest of the month. Just out of concerns for the baby, of course, but you both seem to be doing fine." She snuck a glance at Simon while she injected something into her IV. He was looking curiously at her. "Well, that should do you for a while, I'll be back in to check on you." The minute she left the room Simon stood and went over to the monitors.

"It has a heartbeat?" He asked watching the heart monitor with smaller beeps.

"Yes..." Zoe said concernedly.

"Well, it's part vampire, you never know. I didn't know they monitored the baby too."

"It has to have some human qualities. It couldn't grow otherwise."

"I know it has some but not having a heartbeat is a pretty important trait in a vampire."

"True. This will be a bit more interesting than your average unplanned child." He lauged loudly.

"That it will, love, that it will."


	7. Getting Closer

It was a week after Zoe got out of the hospital before they heard anything out of Benjamin. Simon was staying with them and keeping an eye on Zoe while her father was out and looking for his own work. They were sitting in the den her leaning on him while he looked through the pages of the newspaper agitatedly.

"I've not ever had to work before so what do I do?" He asked for the millionth time. He hissed and flipped the paper closed then froze as did Zoe. The front of the cover read

Family of Four Found Dead

The address of the family was just four streets over and the daughter was a few grades below Zoe.

"Simon."

"You're to be in the house by twilight from now until I find out who it is and destroy them. And under no circumstances are you to come out. I'll make sure your father doesn't allow it." He said, eying her.

"Simon, they could kill you." He chuckled darkly.

"Wouldn't be the first time, love."

"But I just got you back!"

"To protect you. And that's what I intend to do. For however long I can." Zoe started to argue but then the front door opened and shut.

"Zoe, Simon?"

"In here, dad." She called. "We'll talk about this later." She hissed at Simon before her father came through the door.

"Any luck with that, Simon?" He asked, eying the paper in his hands.

"No, sir. But I did see something that worried me."

"What?"

"I think we need to keep Zoe inside at night. Look at this." He showed the front page to her father whose brow furrowed at first then his eyebrows rose.

"That could have been Adam and his family. I wonder why he didn't mention anything?"

"It says here this paper was the first to announce it."

"Well, if anything, I completely agree with you, Simon. Zoe, you are to be home by nightfall from now on unless Simon or myself is with you. And you're not to keep any windows open." She and Simon knew that wouldn't be necessary to stop the killers, but saying so would raise awkward questions, so they didn't. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, daddy."

"Good. I'm going to bed. Simon, keep an eye on our girl."

"Yes, sir." He went on to his room. Zoe glared at Simon and stood, going up to her room, now his too. She stopped short to see that Benjamin was sitting in her window sill. He turned to look at her when she came in.

"You still have no problem with him killing then? Even when it's so close by?"

"Benjamin." But this wasn't her. It was Simon's growl from behind her. "What the hell you doing here?" He asked in the same low rumble.

"I'm here to stop the killing, cousin."

"It's not me. I have no thirst for blood anymore."

"Liar." Simon reached out to grab Benjamin's arm, but he shifted and reappeared on the opposite side of the room.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Benjamin." He took two cautious steps toward him and Benjamin braced himself, falling into a crouch preparing for Simon's bluff. But his eyes widened in shock when Simon closed his fingers around his arm.

"Y-... your skin isn't cold." He said slowly.

"No, Benjamin. I'm just as human as Zoe now."

"But... how?"

"I don't really know the reasoning behind it. Like Zoe told you, I died, but I kept watch over her as you held her hostage. And I believe I have you to thank for my second chance. I've been sent back to protect Zoe and that's the extent of my knowledge."

"I... don't believe it." Simon put both his hands on Benjamin's shoulders.

"Benjamin, Evelyn forgives you."

"N...no. I know you're lying now, Evelyn could never forgive me."

"She's watched after you, Benjamin. She looks at what happened to you as a punishment for what happened that day. But she believes it too harsh. She doesn't think that you walking around unable to die forever is fair. And in knowing you get worse than what you deserve, she's found it in her to forgive you." Benjamin's eyes had closed, but now they opened, furious.

"If you came back as a human to protect Zoe, how did you pull me off of her?"

"I still have most of my traits, such as my strength and speed but my abilities to shift to different shapes and heal instantly are gone. But I still heal faster than any normal human. Only things that can be used to help Zoe have remained." Benjamin's tensed muschles slackened under Simon's hands. "If it isn't you, then who is it?"

"That I don't know."

"Please, tell me the truth when I ask you this: is it Christopher?"

"I can't say it's impossible because I'm alive. But I can say that it's highly unlikely."

"Highly unlikely isn't good enough, Simon."

"I've already told you that I don't know. It hasn't been on the top of my list of priorities until it got so close to Zoe."

"What's over it?"

"Zoe, of course"

"Are you really that simple? You can only concentrate on one thing?"

"Simon, I think we can trust him. I'm not his hostage anymore." Zoe said, laying a hand on Simon's arm. He sighed.

"I have a child to worry about." He told Benjamin reluctantly.

"A child? With her?" He indicated Zoe. They both nodded. "But I've watched her. I've never seen one in the house..." Zoe laughed gently.

"That's because I haven't had it yet."

"How far are you?"

"Nearly 3 months. That's why I got sick in the morning."

"Why didn't I consider that?" Benjamin muttered half to himself. "It's so obvious." He paused. "Was it conceived while you were still a vampire?" He asked Simon, who nodded. "This should be an interesting wain." He said.

"It will be. We found out in the hospital after your attack on Zoe that it has a heartbeat."

"A heartbeat? So it may be somewhat like you are now." he concluded. They agreed. Benjamin glanced at the clock. " I need to go. I need to hunt a little tonight before sunrise." They looked too. it was nearly two in the morning. Benjamin was gone when they turned back to him. Simon closed the window and turned to Zoe.

"Plan to yell at me now or later?" He asked.

"Later sounds good. I'll spring it on you when you least expect it."

"Joy." He tapped her on the backside. "Bed. I'll be with you in a moment." He left the room and she undressed and pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and a T-shirt and pulled the sheets back on the bed, sliding in comfortably and moving over to the wall. She hadn't been laying there long before she heard the box springs give way as Simon's weight added to hers. She felt his warm breath on her neck as he molded to her back and pulled her close. "I love you, little bird." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too."


	8. Found

Two days later, Simon went in to apply for a job at the convenience store he'd sat outside of that night just a few months before. When he came back, the sun had nearly set and he hadn't heard anything out of Benjamin since his visit a few nights before so he expected that he might be by again tonight. Whether it was a good thing or not, he didn't know yet.

"Simon." He heard out of the alley he was walking by. He looked and it was Benjamin. He looked to the west where a few rays of sun were still lighting the streets despite the street lights that were already lit.

"What are you doing out here? It isn't safe yet!"

"It's dark down here all day." He jerked his head toward the back of the alley and turned down it. Simon assumed he was supposed to follow him. Once at the intersection of that alley and another, Benjamin turned back to him. "I found them."

"What?"

"The new vampires, Simon. I caught them at it last night in the next town over. There are three of them. Two males and a female. The female pretended to be afraid and feinted away, leaving me with the two males. I was going at it with them when she came back and whacked me in the head with something. By the time I came to, it was nearly dawn and I had no time to get back to my home. This was the closest sunless place I could find. Even then, I cut it a little too close." He showed Simon a burn on his arm.

"Two males and a female, then?"

"Yeah. Look young. For us I mean. They still have their hair colors. Female's blond- gorgeous, by the way- the bigger male's a red-head, the smaller one is fast but he's got darker hair. Scarlet eyes, all of them."

"Killers." Benjamin nodded.

"Zoe's inside, right?"

"She had better be. Her father and I have both forbidden her from being outside after dark."

"But there's no telling, right?"

"None." Benjamin laughed.

"She's an independent minded one, all right."

"You'll be all right?" Simon asked him.

"Sure. I didn't realize how much I really missed the sun until today." He looked glum.

"This curse is awful I know. But the best thing is knowing you'll overcome it eventually."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because we've both had the same goal."

"What's that?"

"To stop the ones who make the word 'vampire' terrifying, such as Christopher and now these new three." Benjamin shook his head solemnly.

"You got Zoe out of it."

"That's true and it's also true that she saved me from myself, but you don't need saving, Benjamin. You've always been on the right course. Sure, it may have seemed hopeless at times, but you work through it and that's what matters."

"Simon, you sound human again."

"I am, Benjamin. Well... mostly." He looked up and noticed the street was completely dark. "Damn. I have to go make sure Zoe's inside." Benjamin nodded.

"Uh, Simon, if you ever need help with keeping her in line, you... uh, you know how to find me." Simon smiled and hurried off in the direction of his new home.

"Zoe, oh. My. God. Guess what?" Zoe smiled at her friend's enthusiasm and played along.

"What?" She asked in a mocking tone. Lorraine either didn't notice it, or ignored it completely. Probably the first.

"My dad said I could come visit you!" She became truly interested now.

"When?"

"In as soon as a week if I want and you're okay with it!"

"Oh my god, Lorraine, that's great!"

"Will I get to meet the mysterious Simon if I come?" Zoe laughed.

"Yes."

"Zoe?" Came the call from the male in question. He walked in and smiled, waiting at the kitchen door.

"Lorraine, can I call you back later? Simon just came in."

"Sure, go make out or something." She teased. "I'll just call you tomorrow night, okay?"

"Okay."

"Don't forget to ask your dad!"

"I won't, Lorraine, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Bye."

"Bye." She hung up and turned to Simon who crossed over to her in three steps and pulled her into a kiss. "Hello." She said, surprised by the reception. He chuckled quietly.

"Hello."

"That was Lorraine. She says she might be able to come to visit." His smile vanished. "What?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"She's successfully avoided a vampire attack before, Simon." Zoe told him, rolling her eyes.

"But neither of you knew that it was a vampire attack. And secrets tend to be harder to keep once you're in on them."

"I kept your secret from her." He groaned.

"Zoe..."

"Look, calm down. We'll rent movies. Be couch potatoes after dark. No inviting people in. I know the house rules." He still looked worried. She decided to change the subject. "So, what did they say?"

"They'll call me back tomorrow." He continued to look bothered.

"Okay, look. I know my dad will say yes, so it's up to you. Either I'll ask my dad or I won't."

"I would prefer you didn't. Not just yet. Ask her to hold off on the trip. Just until its safe." There was a few moments of silence before they retired to the family room until she fell asleep curled against his side. He carried her upstairs and put her to bed and sat in the window sill until he could stand it no longer. He kissed Zoe's forehead and slipped out onto the branch, climbing limberly down the trunk of the large tree and jumping the fence, heading in the direction of Benjamin's.


	9. Babysitter

Zoe crawled carefully over Simon the next morning and tiptoed out of the room and across the hall. She knew he hadn't been asleep for more than a few hours because he woke her up when he dragged in at nearly 2 o'clock. But in spite of all her precautions not to wake him up, only fifteen minutes after she started getting sick, she heard someone come in and felt them pull her fingers from her hair and put a supportive hand on her back. After her first bout with the sickness, she leaned back against him when he prompted her.

"You okay for now, love?" He said, sounding weakened by exhaustion.

"You shouldn't have gotten up." She complained. "Go back to bed."

"It's my own fault I was up so late." He retorted. He had his back against the cabinet under the sink, her pulled tightly to his chest. "Besides, I have time to make up for." Zoe and Simon were sitting down with their breakfast when her father got up.

"Smells good, Zo."

"Thanks, dad." He ate and then left for work.

"So, what's on the schedule today?"

"It's Monday, don't you have school?"

"What's the point? Besides I'll be taking make up courses anyway because of being held hostage and the days I missed sick before I found out. And don't even get me started on the hospital..."

"You're still going." He said calmly.

"Simon, I can't go, I've missed too many days, I'll be expelled anyway."

"Well, you're not dropping out."

"How exactly do you plan to stop me?"

"I'm hoping that was a rhetorical question, Zoe."

"Well?"

"If I have to drag you there myself, you're going. Throwing you over my shoulder is out for obvious reasons, but I can still carry you one way or another to the bus stop." He shot a threatening glance over the paper in front of him. She put down her fork and sat back in her chair, ready to sulk. "If you're done with breakfast, go ahead and get dressed." When she didn't move, he looked at her again. She was still staring at the wall opposite her. He sighed. "Do I have to do everything? I can dress you too, you know. You might not like it." She glared at him and pushed away from the table. He shook his head when he heard her stomping up the stairs and slam their bedroom door. 10 minutes later he put the paper down started for the stairs. She was dressed when he opened the door, but she was sitting on the bed and staring out the window sadly.

"This just doesn't happen to girls like me." She said quietly when she heard him come in. He sat on the bed beside her and pulled her into his lap, holding her to his chest.

"What, darling?"

"This... thing." She said miserably. "I'm avoided enough as it is since Lorraine left. I can't imagine how they'll see me now." He kissed her forehead.

"Love, please. I need you to try to make it work. For me, if not for you. And Lorraine will be coming soon enough. Cheer up, braveheart."

"You mean...?" He chuckled and kissed her again.

"She can come." She gasped and threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Simon! I promise we'll stay out of trouble."

"I know you will. I'll make sure of it. I'll be in the house every second."

"Paranoid." She mocked lovingly.

"Protective over things I love." He chuckled. "You're still going to school."

"Darn it." He walked her to school, carrying her books with one hand and had hers in his other. Across the street from the school, he kissed her.

"I'll be here the moment you need me."

"Will you be home for me to call if I do need you?"

"Why would you need to call me?" He grinned. "There are shadows during the day too. I won't be able to blend as well as I could, but I'll do my best." He handed her her books. "I'll see you at 3, love." And he continued walking in the direction of 3rd. A few girls watched him go in awe then gaped at Zoe. She sighed and crossed the street and went into the building without meeting the gazes she felt. She turned in the excuse Simon had perfectly translated into her father's handwriting claiming illness which rightly fit because she'd gotten sick in class before she left. She asked for admittance to see a guidance counselor to see about make up classes that summer so she could graduate. She told Mrs. Hudson, the senior guidance counselor, her situation and she looked at her disapprovingly but gave her the permission slip to up the classes during the summer. That was the best part of her day, to say the least. Sitting in her last period of the day- English- she tapped her pencil on the desk most of the class, trying to ignore the whispers of the girls just a few seats away.

"- Zoe the Bird, who'd have guessed?" One said. Another giggled.

"Is the guy blind?" She said.

"I don't think so and to add to it, he's absolutely gorgeous. I mean, this is like, bypassing the Carter boys." Said a third. The other two gasped.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I saw him walking her to school this morning."

"So how much older is he?"

"He doesn't look that much older than us."

"So, what? He a dropout?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him around here."

"Figures. She's so pitiful, she has to go out of town for a guy that'll have her." Her lead snapped and they hushed, apparently not realizing how loud they had been getting.

"Whit, you idiot, I think she heard you!" One of them hissed at the other.

"So? There's no way in hell she thinks she's good enough for him."

"Ladies? Something you'd like to share with the class?"

"No sir, Mr. Wheeler."

"I suggest you turn around and pay attention, then."

"Sure thing." They were quiet for the rest of the class. When the bell rang, Zoe got her books out of her locker sluggishly. She smiled slightly when she saw Simon leaning against the rail on the front steps of the school. He smiled at her and kissed her as he took her books again. Zoe couldn't help but notice the looks she got when he took her hand and gently pulled her off across the road and towards home. Once they were in the house, he closed the door securely.

"There. That wasn't so bad was it?" But she was already crying silently. He pulled her to him. "What's wrong, darling?"

"It was worse than I thought it would be!"

"What happened?"

"I always knew they thought I was a little out of the ordinary but I never thought they thought I was- god, I know I'm a little strange, but pitiful?"

"I prefer to call you refreshingly different." He said cheerfully. She glared at him and his smile vanished. "If it helps, Lorraine's waiting for you to call. She took it that you'd dropped out."

"I thought you were there the whole time?"

"Well, obviously not if I thought you were okay. I'm sorry, love, I had to come back. I forgot they were going to call me to tell me if I'd gotten the job or not." She gasped.

"Did you?"

"Well, here's the thing. They need extra hands. Males. You know, what with the killings lately, they're afraid to make their females work after dark." Zoe nodded slowly.

"Yes? And?"

"I'll be working night shifts only."

"Oh. Well, Lorraine and I can take care of ourselves, Simon, don't worry." He smiled.

"I'm not worried. Because Benjamin is coming to stay with you while I'm gone. That's why I didn't come back after they called me. I had to go talk to him. I start tonight, so he'll be here the moment the last ray of sun is gone."

"What? You got me a babysitter?"

"No. He offered to help if I needed it yesterday. I just took him up on it."

"And made him my babysitter." She pointed out. He grinned sheepishly.

"Of sorts. I don't pay him. And I believe you'll get along with him a lot more than you might a real babysitter." He added with a chuckle.

"Not to mention if I slip up and cut myself, I may die." Simon's expression darkened.

"That was a one-time thing, Zoe. He hadn't eaten in a while and he's promised to make sure he feeds well before he comes."

"And how does he plan to do that if he's going to be here the moment the last ray disappears?"

"I said he'd be here, not in the house. He won't come in until he's eaten something. But he won't ever be out of scents or sounds reach. He'll know if you try to leave." He quietly threatened. "He'll stop you." Simon sighed. "Please, Zoe. Don't make this hard. We're just trying to keep you safe." She glared at him still and he sighed again. "Go call Lorraine and stop looking at me like that." He pleaded. She jumped at his reminder, having to hang up and redial several times before she got the number in right in her excitement. Lorraine answered immediately.

"Hello? Zoe?"

"Yeah, it's me, Lor. Guess what? You can come!"

"Yes! I'll be there Friday afternoon. That's okay, isn't it?"

"Of course!"

"Oh, by the way, if Simon looks anything like his voice sounds...-" She hummed her approval. "He's a keeper." Zoe laughed.

"I guess so. In his own strange way."

"Why? What happened?"

"Well, you'll find out when you get here anyway. Well, there's been another round of those weird killings and Simon just got a job with a convenience store downtown but he only works at night because the owner is afraid to let the girls work after dark."

"Well, sure."

"So he's worried about me, of course, being Simon."

"Of course."

"So now we have a babysitter. His cousin, Ben, will be staying with us while he's at work."

"Okay, now you've lost me. In what universe does two teenage girls sitting at home equal to needing a babysitter?"

"Simon's, apparently." Lorraine groaned.

"Oh well. We'll get through it. Is his cousin cute?"

"I guess so, I've never really looked at Ben that way. Well, now that I think about it, yeah, he's pretty attractive." Simon chuckled from the table behind her. She covered the receiver. "Stop listening in." She hissed. He laughed harder.

"Benjamin will be interested to know you think he's attractive."

"Of course he is. You're related, aren't you?"

"Zoe? You there?"

"Course I am. Sorry, Simon's being a pain. So you'll be here on Friday, right?"

"Yeah. Some time around 4."

"Great. I'll talk to you then!"

"Yeah, Zo. I'll see you on Friday." Zoe hung up the phone and turned to find Simon standing right there. He kissed her without warning and she subdued before long, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing back. When she pulled back for breath, he rested his forehead on hers.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" He asked for the second time that night. But her answer was different this time.

"No. Not at all." She leaned back up and kissed him again.

"Should I come back later?" Came a smug voice behind Simon. Benjamin was standing just inside the kitchen door, a dark jacket on, despite the eighty-eight degree weather outside. Only Zoe wouldn't have recognized him if not for his voice. His hair was as black as night and his eyes were a silver-gray color.

"Benjamin, what are you doing here? It's the middle of the day!" he pulled the large hood up on his jacket and pushed his hands down in the pockets, all of his skin covered except most of his face.

"If you walk with your head down, you're less noticeable. More true with me because that means I'm not frying." He grinned as he let the hood back down.

"Well, if you're here." He extricated himself from Zoe's arms, despite her protesting groans. "I need to shower. I've been hiding out in bushes and trees all day." He headed up the stairs.

"So I hear I have another charge?" Benjamin said with a grin.

"Yeah. What happened to your hair."

"Simon suggested that gray probably wasn't the best color for someone of the age I'm trying to pass for. At least he can pass for a blond. So he got dye. Awful smelling stuff, let me tell you."

"Well, as long as you're trying to fit in, do you mind if we call you Ben instead of Benjamin?"

"Sorry?"

"Well, I don't know of any Benjamin's that actually go by Benjamin. That are living." She cut him off when he started to protest. Benjamin sighed.

"Oh all right. I suppose I could go by a different name."

"It's not a different name, just kind of an abbreviation."

"An abbreviation."

"Yes, an abbreviation. Just think of it as that." He sighed again.

"An abbreviation not a difference."

"Great. Thank you." She hugged him. He froze for a moment before hugging her back.

"Mmm." He hummed to himself. "You're warm." She chuckled.

"Get your paws off her." Simon said jokingly as he came back downstairs in a different pair of jeans and a t-shirt, a red apron over his arm. Benjamin was stifling a laugh. "Oh shut up!" He turned scarlet and kissed Zoe. "I'll see you later. I have to be in thirty minutes before dusk. Give the girl time to get home." She nodded. He nodded at Benjamin and went out the back door.

"And let the babysitting begin." Zoe said gloomily.

"Sorry?"

"You're here to keep an eye on me, right?"

"Yes."

"Is that not what a babysitter does?" Benjamin looked lost. "Oh. You probably didn't call them babysitters, did you?"

"I really don't know."

"Umm... a nanny? Or maybe a governess?"

"Never heard of a nanny either. But a governess I have."

"Basically like that. Except babysitters often watch other families children too." Benjamin glared at her. "What?"

"Govern-ess, Zoe."

"Oh. Well, not all babysitters are girls either. Although most of them are, sometimes it pays to have a boy. You know? A little more likely to be able to do something if anything happens? Such as, in our case, a vampire attack?" Benjamin snorted.

"Simon's not worried about them attacking you here. Someone would have to invite them in. He's more worried over you trying to go out." She huffed and walked out of the room, into the family room where she turned on the television. Benjamin followed her and sat down next to her on the couch.

"Are you gonna hover all night?"

"No. I get bored just as easily as you." She rolled her eyes. "Look, Zoe. I don't like that you have to be held here any more than you do. I really don't like that he trusts me enough to leave you in my care. My control is by no means perfect. But you know that." His fingers brushed the yellowed bruises on her neck that he'd inflicted almost 2 weeks ago. Because Simon had ripped him off, his fangs had drug a little farther than needed be, making the wound bigger than usual so it didn't heal as fast. She cringed away from the cold of his skin. He misread it. "I'm sorry. That was a little too bold." He turned back to the TV, his arms crossed over his chest, careful to keep a comfortable distance from her. He caught her glances every now and again during commercials. Finally she sighed.

"I'm going to go get something to drink." He stood before she had a chance.

"I've got it." He left the room and came back. This time she made sure not to flinch when she brushed his hand even though it was colder than the soda can that had just came out of the fridge. He sat down in the exact same spot, nearly a foot away from her. She'd been hoping to escape up to hers and Simon's room. "So..." He said finally. "Who's this other blood bank I'm supposed to keep an eye on later?" He asked, grinning.

"My friend Lorraine. The one that used to live in the house you're staying in." He nodded.

"Simon's actually allowing her to come?"

"Well, Christopher's already tried to kill her once. She knows the situation and that we won't be out at night so..."

"If you don't mind me saying, that's not like Simon. He's a cunning one and all, but he's often more cautious than need be. That had made him very hard to track, so I should know." Benjamin said with a smile.

"Well, he kind of feels bad. You know, what with first the leaving, then the baby, and now he's making me stay in school so he decided to let me do one thing my way, I guess. And he knows I miss her so..." She stopped and watched his expression. He looked like he was listening, but like he was far off at the same time. "Benjamin?"

"He knows he's lucky." He said.

"What?"

"He's lucky to have someone. None of our kind deserve it. We've all had our chances. Most of us didn't make the most of them."

"I would say it's not too late for you, but I don't know how rare it is for one of your kind to have Simon's case."

"None of us really do. We know that some take a personal interest in humans, but more often than not, they end up killing them either by accident or that was their intention all along."

"Well, are all vampires loners? I mean, for someone who was so set to kill, you and Simon get along strangely well."

"Well, he's not exactly that hard to agree with. I'd never actually met him. And no. We're not usually alone. If I had learned the truth before, Simon and I would have teamed up long ago. Actually..." He said and dropped off. "I don't know if Simon wants you to know this or not, but the killings lately have been committed by a camp of three vampires."

"A what?" Benjamin chuckled.

"A camp; a group of our kind."

"Oh." She said blushing red.

"It's the proper term for a family of bats. That name started around the time humans found out we could transform." She nodded shyly. He grinned. "I'm not scaring you, am I?"

"No."

"Good. That's the last thing I want to do." She looked up at him. Neither of them had realized they'd been turning until they were both facing each other on the couch. He leaned suddenly he leaned forward and caught his cold lips on hers. It took them both a few moments to realize what was going on then she pulled away.

"Benjamin..." She said quietly but as sternly as she could.

"I'm sorry I... I don't know what got into me." Zoe stood slowly.

"I think I'll go to bed. When my dad gets here just tell him you're Simon's cousin here to watch out for me while Simon's at work." He nodded and she slipped out of the room and up the stairs.


	10. Another Return

Of course Zoe had to tell Simon about the kiss and he'd taken it fairly well.

'It's only natural. You're irresistible, after all.' He'd said and kissed her the next afternoon when he'd came to walk her home from school. But now today she was impatient to go home. Or, at least, more impatient than usual because it was Friday. The bell rang and Zoe quickly pulled out books from her locker and went out to meet Simon, who was grinning strangely. Then she saw why: he had someone with him. A thin girl with blond hair was standing next to him. When the girls saw each other they squealed and ran to meet each other, hugging on contact.

"You're here early!"

"Yeah, a plane was actually on time for once, go figure!" They hugged again and Lorraine pulled away for them to both look at Simon. Lorraine nudged her friend. "He's even cuter than his voice was. God, I can't wait to see his cousin." Zoe grimaced but Simon continued to smile. He held out his hand to Zoe who took it and they all three started in the direction of the house. The girls chattered the whole way there, Simon walking along cheerfully, but quietly. All too soon for Zoe, Simon approached her at the kitchen table and kissed her cheek.

"I have to go, love."

"Simon, I'm so sorry I haven't paid you any attention this afternoon!" He chuckled.

"That's fine. You two have a lot of catching up to do." There was a knock on the door.

"That'll be Ben." Zoe told Lorraine as she got up to get the door that she was surprised he'd knocked on. Benjamin had his hood up, the sun bright even on her back step.

"I smelled her. Thought it might be best if I knocked." She nodded and moved so he could get out of the light. He lowered his hood when she closed the door. Lorraine's eyes were wide and she was staring at the jacket. Zoe had forgotten to come up with an excuse for that...

"Hi. You must be Zoe's friend." He said the muscle in his jaw tight. "Name's Ben." She just nodded.

"I'm Lorraine." His tendon slackened. As did his expression.

"That's a pretty name." Her friend blushed. Zoe moved around him to make sure he wasn't moon weaving. But his face was relaxed, a gentle smile on his face. Simon came down the stairs dressed for work.

"Hey, Ben. You're early. Good, Zoe, can you two please behave tonight?" He pleaded jokingly.

"Simon..." She groaned.

"I'm just kidding, love." He kissed her again. "Good bye." He left.

"What was he talking about, Zoe?" Lorraine asked, her head tilted to one side. Zoe shook her head.

"Later. Who wants to watch a movie?"

Lorraine was, naturally, dazzled by Ben's overall appearance. Although even Zoe had to admit he looked better since he'd dyed his hair. What shocked her though, was that he seemed to notice too. Zoe was sitting between them so that Ben didn't graze her with his ice-cold skin by accident but she had caught each of them looking at the other when the subject was watching the movie. When the movie ended, Lorraine was asleep on Zoe's shoulder. She and Ben looked at her.

"How heavy does she sleep?" He asked.

"Very."

"Heavy enough for me to pick her up without her waking up?" Zoe thought about it.

"I don't know. Your skin's cold, even for a vampire."

"With a blanket around her?"

"Maybe. She won't notice as much then." He nodded and got the fleece blanket in the corner and threw it over her, seeming to have no difficulty picking her up; as if she were a rag doll. He carried her up to Zoe and Simon's room where her sleeping bag was laid out at the foot of the bed. She moaned a little when he put her in it, pushing the blankets away. Zoe and Benjamin both tilted their heads in confusion. "She's not freezing?" Zoe asked puzzledly.

"Apparently not..."

"That's strange..." The door opened and closed below.

"Zo?" Came her dad's voice. "Ben?" Ben looked at her.

"Go to sleep, I'll handle your father." She nodded and he left the room.


	11. Simon

Simon was woken by Zoe's friend Lorraine and found he had shockingly not noticed when Zoe got up that morning. He was sluggish getting to the bathroom and was even more shocked to find Benjamin in his place. He looked up when Simon stood in the door.

"I fell asleep on the couch last night. She woke me. Asked me not to wake you." But he moved, allowing Simon to gently pull Zoe's hair from her face and make her rest with her head on his shoulder. He left quickly, looking a little unsettled.

"Love, I can sleep later." He pleaded with her without waiting for an explanation.

"But you work so late..." He chuckled.

"Darling, I lived in centuries of night. I'll admit it's been nice seeing the sun again, but of all things it's not like I'm afraid of the dark." He chuckled. "A few more months aren't going to kill me."

"Simon..." But she didn't finish. She turned green and he had just fast enough reflexes to hold her hair back and roll onto his knees beside her, his other hand on her back.

Lorraine had made breakfast when Simon came down, Ben was stacking the plates next to the sink from the nights before, trying to keep a safe distance between him and the girl and keeping an eye constantly on the window that he'd had her pull the curtains closed on.

"Is Zoe going to be okay?" She asked sounding truly worried.

"Of course, it's only morning sickness." He said, referring to what she'd called it when he'd gotten terrified himself the first time he'd seen it.

"Oh." Her friend said, blushing. "Yeah. I forgot." A loud snapping noise came from the sink and Simon could see the plate in Benjamin's hands, split in two. He put it down quickly.

"Damn." He said. Simon squeezed between Lorraine and Benjamin.

"Lorraine, Zoe said she might need you to help her pick out some clothes or something?" Her eyes lit up and she dashed for the stairs. Simon sighed and turned to help Benjamin break the plate into more pieces so that it looked more like an accident rather than someone had really snapped it in half. They were not fragile dishes, after all.

"I'm sorry, Simon, it's just her scent got to be too much for me all of a sudden. I only fed enough to get me through last night..."

"It's all right, she colored."

"Oh." But he kept his eyes down all the same.

"What is it?"

"I was actually kind of hoping I was just losing my control."

"Sorry?"

"Simon, I... when she's not making it difficult, it doesn't even hurt to be near her."

"What do you mean? I just saw you avoiding her a few minutes ago." Benjamin rolled his eyes.

"I'm still cold, even for our kind, Simon. Well, MY kind now." He grumbled. Simon reached over and turned off the warm water and turned on the cold.

"Perfectly good reason to be now." Benjamin turned the warm water back on. Simon raised an eyebrow.

"Feels better." He explained.

"Benjamin's not that cold to her." Came Zoe's voice from behind them. She laughed when they both jumped. (After all, you just don't sneak up on a vampire.)

"Okay, after I have a heart attack, sweetheart, what do you mean?"

"Benjamin carried her upstairs last night and instead of keeping the blankets on her, she pushed them away like she was warm." Simon exchanged a glance with his cousin.

"But how?"

"I would say she's one of us if not for the you know, blushing, thus the blood, and the whole warmer-than-an-ice-block thing."

"That doesn't answer my question, Benjamin."

"Zoe? A little help up here?" Lorraine called down the stairs.

"We'll talk about this later, guys, okay?" She said, walking away.

"You ask her yet?" Benjamin asked in an undertone even when she was out of human earshot.

"Nope." He chuckled.

"Just wondering because she's already acting like the woman of the house." Simon laughed too.

"When she walks away, the conversation goes on hold." Benjamin laughed harder.

"Exactly." Then he sobered a little. "Do you know what kind of talk would go around if you waited so long had we not been cursed by your brother?"

"It's only talk, Benjamin. They talked about me anyway. And times don't change much. They still talk. But I'll get around to it."

"She only has a few months left." Simon sighed.

"I know that."

"Just making sur- ARRGH!" Simon jumped again.

"What th-?" But then he saw the small opening in the curtain and Benjamin cradling his hand. "Perhaps we'd better get you somewhere where its a little darker." Benjamin groaned and nodded. He took him down the hall to the broom closet, looking in to see how it would fair for sleeping.

"Simon." He looked back at his cousin.

"You have an objection?" He shook his head, grinning, though still looking in pain.

"No, no, I need you to do something for me before you go back to sleep."

"Yes?"

"My soil is in a coin purse at my home." Simon nodded, understanding.

"I'll have it and be back soon." He hurried up the stairs, catching Zoe as she left their room going in the direction of the bathroom. She didn't look like she was going to be sick so he caught her by the arm.

"Simon, what's wrong?"

"Shh, everything's fine. I need you to keep Lorraine out of the broom closet at all costs."

"Benjamin?" He nodded.

"Okay you can count on me." He grinned.

"I know that." He kissed her. "I'll be back before long."

"Where are you going?"

"Erm... ERRAND." He stressed. She nodded.

"Hurry back." She added with a smile.

"Always, love." He kissed her again and was gone.


	12. Zoe

Once she was sure that the morning sickness was out of the way, she suggested that she and Lorraine toss for the shower. Her blond friends eyes widened and sparkled. Zoe won and took the first turn when she got out, she put on the outfit that Lorraine had helped her pick. Lorraine was sitting on her bed when she went to tell her the bathroom was open.

"Hey, Zo, where did Simon and his cousin go?" She asked, sounding more down put about Benjamin not being there.

"I think Benjamin went home but Simon had some things to do before he goes back to sleep." She nodded and got up, taking her clothes with her. Simon returned while Lorraine was in the shower, coming to lay down with Zoe on the bed, going back to sleep with his arms around her. She was stroking his hair when Lorraine came in, fully dressed. She sat on the bed next to Zoe and looked at Simon too.

"How old did you say he was again?" Her friend asked, not looking at her. Zoe froze.

"Um..." They'd never really decided on an age. Besides, whatever she told her would be a lie. Lorraine looked up at her and she quickly composed her face, smiling at her. "He just turned 18 a month ago."

"Hmm." Lorraine said, looking back at Simon. "He looks younger when he's like this, but way older when he's awake."

"He has a lot to worry about."

"I guess that's true." She admitted. Zoe sighed. "He looks after you really well. I have to admit when you told me you were pregnant I didn't think he would be anything like this." Zoe chuckled.

"Neither did my dad. But it was just a stupid mistake. We all make them. This one's just a little more destructive than tipping over a glass of milk." Lorraine nodded.

"I think you'll be fine."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I don't know. Call me crazy but I feel like I've just stepped into something and I'm in over my head." Zoe locked up again. Lorraine misread her silence. "I know, crazy old Lorraine, right?" She said with a lopsided grin. Zoe laughed uneasily.

"Yeah."

"Well, its daylight and I for one really want to get out of the house." Zoe smiled and wormed her way out from under Simon. "And I think its time we did some basic shopping for the little surprise." They both laughed quietly. On the bus, Zoe finally took a breath.

"Okay, well, now that we're away from the boys, how's Oregon been?" Her friend's face twisted a little in surprise.

"Um, it's all right."

"And the guys?" She teased.

"The guys are hot." She said with a smile. "Kind of." She muttered. Zoe looked at her.

"What, not good looking enough?" She said with a smile but she didn't like the tone in which she said it.

"Zoe, do you promise not to laugh at me?"

"Of course."

"Well..." She took a breath and looked around. "I have to admit, I'm telling you this only because I know you won't tell anybody." She leaned into Zoe's ear.

"The guy I'm messing around with... well, he's not... human..." Zoe pulled back in shock.

"What do you mean?" Lorraine shushed her.

"I mean, he's... something more. You know what? I don't know if its really anything I'm supposed to tell anyone at all so..."

"Lorraine, trust me. You can tell me anything."

"Well... um..." But then the bus stopped in town and she was distracted by the shops. "Zoe, this is our stop." Zoe let it drop for now and followed her best friend off the bus.


	13. Lorraine

Lorraine tried to keep Zoe busy as possible so that the conversation couldn't return to Liam and his brothers. Why would sensible Zoe ever believe in something as silly as vampires? Even she'd had problems believing it at first.

'It's not my secret to tell.' She thought to herself again. But she wished she could tell just one person. One person she could talk to that wasn't a vampire themselves. She'd hoped that after last fall, she wouldn't ever feel that she had to keep anything from Zoe again. She was always so easy to talk to. And if anyone could keep a secret, it was her. At lunch, Liam's cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Lor, please tell me you've made it to that friend of yours."

"Yeah."

"She sitting there?"

"Yeah, dad. Of course."

"Okay, love. I'm just glad to know you're safe."

"How's Aidan and Renny?"

"They're good, thanks." She heard Aidan laugh in the background.

"Not... "

"No not hurt in any way."

"Good. And you?"

"Right as rain."

"Liar."

"Well, its true that I miss you, but the intruders haven't tried anything."

"Yet." He chuckled.

"Yes, love, yet."

"But we'll be ready when they do." Aidan called from the background.

"Dad..." She said in a warning voice.

"I'll not let them harm a hair on Renny's head. Although, I don't think he really needs my protection, I know how you are about him." He chuckled. "I hope you're not smothering your expecting friend." She laughed freely.

"I think I am a little bit." She looked across the table at Zoe. "Zo, am I being annoying?"

"In which sense?"

"Am I being too much of a mother hen to you?"

"No! Why would you think that?"

"My dad says I'm worrying too much."

"Not at all."

"Well, you heard her." She told Liam. Lorraine smiled at Zoe and stood, walking a little ways from their table.

"You guys are killing as little as possible, right?"

"Not at all. Renny and I have been keeping an eye on Aidan's feeding and we've been trying to stop him just short of a kill. He's a little pissed actually." Lorraine chuckled.

"We still love you, Aidan." She said.

"Sure, sure." He complained jokingly.

"Liam. Can you promise me you'll all be careful?"

"Like we're walking through a mine field."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"We'll do our best, okay, Lor?"

"That's all I ask. Now I have some serious shopping to do for this kid of hers." He laughed.

"Go do what you do best. Well, second best." He added in a teasing tone. She chuckled.

"And what, may I ask, do I do best?" His laugh this time was more husky.

"I think you can probably figure that out. Bye love."

"Bye." She hung up and went back to the table. "So, I was thinking we'd shop for some clothes next. You're not gonna stay that small." She said with a laugh, gently nudging her friends bump. "And that shirt is almost too small as it is." Zoe sighed.

"I guess you're right." Lorraine drug her through 3 more stores and she bought it all with the credit card Liam's parents had given her before she left. On the bus back, Zoe finally turned to her but she cut her off.

"So what do you think it's going to be?" She asked. Zoe looked taken aback by the question.

"Wh- what?"

"Do you think the baby is going to be a boy or a girl?"

"I don't really know."

"What do you want it to be?"

"Well, I don't suppose I'll care either way. But I guess I kind of want... a girl."

"A girl?"

"Yeah. It's just me and all those guys at the house." She said with a smile. "And I don't think Simon will really care either." Lorraine tried to picture a little girl with Zoe's dark hair and Simon's gorgeous eyes. She couldn't.

"Wow, I always would have thought you might want a boy."

"If there was any other situation, maybe. But like I said, it gets tiring." Lorraine nodded and smiled.

"I understand completely." Simon was waiting for them by the bus stop. He smiled and took the bags from Zoe and transferred them to one hand while he took hers in the other.

"Sleep well?" She asked him with a kiss.

"Very well, thank you." Simon looked up with that same unfathomable expression he'd had when he'd answered the door two days earlier; like he was trying to see something that was just beneath the surface of a murky river. When they walked into the house, the sun was nearly set and Ben was sitting on the couch again.

"Hi, girls." He said, looking up as they came through the door. When Lorraine lingered after Simon and Zoe had trooped up the stairs, Ben gave her the exact same look Simon had.

"What is it you and Simon are staring at?" She asked angrily. As adorable as they both were, it was getting annoying. He looked a little sheepish.

"Oh. Nothing." But she heard him mutter something along the lines of 'I know I've smelled that scent before' right before he jumped and his eyes lifted to the staircase. A moment later, Zoe and Simon came back down, Zoe looking extremely excited. She was literally bouncing as she came down the stairs until Simon laughed and made her stop.

"Zoe, what is it?" Lorraine asked, perplexed what caused this sudden change in mood.

"Simon just asked me to marry him."


	14. Zoe S

Zoe was a little downcast at the fact that Lorraine wouldn't tell her what was going on, but her mood lifted when the bus stopped and Simon was waiting for them. He took her bags for her and her hand.

"Sleep well?" She asked him with a kiss.

"Very well, thank you." She hugged him tightly and when she let go, he looked down at her from Lorraine's direction then they started home. Benjamin was sitting on the couch when they got home, watching television. He looked up when they came in, but no doubt, he'd heard them when they turned onto the street.

"Hi, girls." He said, smiling. Simon continued to pull her toward the stairs, but Lorraine stayed behind. When they reached their room, he put the bags on the bed and turned to pull her into a kiss. When he released her, he rested his forehead on hers and smiled at her.

"I was kind of hoping for a bit more time for this."

"What is it, Simon?" His smile vanished and he pulled back a little, but still holding her as tightly to him as possible, keeping in mind her swelled stomach.

"Zoe, I have a question."

"Simon, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, darling." He assured her, but his smile didn't return. He took a breath. "Zoe, I've waited centuries for you. I didn't even know that's what I was waiting for, but it's true. Will you please make me a tamed and married man?" He said, his lips twitching in his efforts not to smile.

"What?" She asked, cocking her head. He couldn't help it anymore, he grinned.

"Will you be my Lady Bristol?" His smile widened. Zoe was almost sure her heart stopped for a second, then picked back up twice as fast.

"M-marry you?"

"Yes, that would be the idea, love." It took a minute or two for that sentence to sink in, then another to understand what he was saying and one more while she thought of a proper response. He waited patiently, biting his lip, doing his best to keep her gaze and try to follow her thoughts. She settled for squealing quietly and kissing him. He laughed. "Is that a yes?"

"No, its an absolutely-what-took-you-so-long." He laughed again, then he nodded to the door.

"I know you want to tell Lorraine. I have to go to work anyway." He grinned at her scowl. "Like I said, I was hoping for more time." She smiled again and led him out of the bedroom. She didn't notice how much she was moving until Simon laughed again and placed one hand on her shoulder to still her and another gently on her belly to remind her why. She calmly went down the rest of the stairs and then rushed to her friend.

"Zoe, what is it?" Lorraine asked, looking almost worried.

"Simon just asked me to marry him." She told her friend happily.

"It was kind of to be expected, wasn't it?" She said next but it didn't change her spirits in the slightest.

"Well, expecting something and have it actually happen to you are two completely different things." She said happily, wrapping her arms around Simon's middle. He chuckled again and held her close.

"I have to go, love." He told her.

"Oh, yeah. I'll see you in the morning." She told him. He smiled at her and kissed her.

"I'll see you in the morning." He agreed and he walked out the door.

"Congratulations." Benjamin said from beside her, hugging her.

"You knew." She deduced from his tone. He looked guilty.

"Yeah. He told me the other night when he came over to my place."

"Congratulations to you for keeping it from me."

"Thank you very much." He said with another smile.

Although she wanted to ask Lorraine about the guy she knew back in Oregon, she was actually glad to have Benjamin there. He was beginning to seem less and less like a baby sitter and more and more like a great friend like Lorraine. Except he was in on the vampire secret. She could talk to him about everything. She really wished she could tell Lorraine. She had faith that if Lorraine knew how much she needed to keep the secret, she could. But she also knew she couldn't take that chance. She thought about the limb Simon went out on to tell her about his past, not knowing for sure if she would keep it to herself. And how she would be sitting here angry and alone if he hadn't done it. The secret had made all the difference for her. Maybe she could tell her after all. Then she looked at Benjamin next to her, half-way absorbed in the television. But then he looked at her and smiled a little.

"Something wrong?"

"No."

"All right." He looked back to the TV.

No. She couldn't put him in that kind of danger. And he would have to be her proof if she were to tell Lorraine. It would take some serious evasion to ask him if he were okay with that. But then luck was with her. Lorraine's new cell phone rang. She answered and then looked at Zoe and Benjamin and got up. Benjamin watched her go with narrowed eyes.

"What's wrong?" Zoe asked him.

"I know that voice." But then Lorraine came back.

"Sorry I told him I'd call him back later." She said with an apologetic smile. The rest of the night went quietly. Benjamin stared at the TV, but Zoe could tell he wasn't seeing it. He was thinking about the voice on the other line. When eleven rolled around, Zoe grudgingly went to bed when Benjamin mentioned she would be up early the next morning. She thought he was acting very strange that night, but went up to bed anyway.


	15. Benjamin

Benjamin watched the girls go up the stairs then turned the television set off. Annoying thing really. He went instead to the radio in the corner and put in a CD with a strange-looking hand grenade on it. He knew the band though and skipped straight to number four and the first few chords of Anna-Molly began.

A cloud hangs over this city by the sea

I watch the ships pass and wonder if she might be

Out there and sober as well from loneliness

Please do persist girl it's time we met and made a mess

That Lorraine... he really just didn't know what to think of her. She was gorgeous, yes, but there was something else there.

I picture your face at the back of my eyes

A fire in the attic a proof of the prize

Anna-Molly, Anna-Molly, Anna-Molly...

Yes, very beautiful. But what was she hiding from Zoe and Simon? She didn't seem the type who could keep secrets, but maybe he was wrong. He was certain there was something she wasn't telling them. When he'd first looked up and saw her, it was less Zoe saying his name that brought his attention, but because of the familiar scent. It wasn't hers, he knew now because she smelled much differently after she showered but he knew the one that had mixed with her own. It was someone of his kind, he knew that much.

I picture your face at the back of my eyes

A fire in the attic a proof of the prize

Anna-Molly, Anna-Molly, Anna-Molly!

I'm calling your name up into the air

Not one of the others could ever compare

Anna-Molly, Anna-Molly!

And that voice... the one on the phone, he couldn't quite place that either. It had to have been some mistake because they sounded like someone he knew before he got the courage up to cross the water and leave Ireland. But he knew it so well, he just couldn't place it. The face was just on the edge of his mind.

Wait there is a light

There is a fire illuminated attic

Fate or something better

I could care less just stay with me a while

Wait there is a light

There is a fire defragmenting the attic

Fate or something better

I could care less just stay with me a while

Dammit, why couldn't he place it? Could it have been part of his human memories? No, he remembered those all too well.

Then who was it? A human he'd stalked? One of his brethren? He was listening to another song when Zoe's father came in. A sad-looking man really.

"The girls already asleep?"

"Yeah, Mr. Sutcliff."

"Good man, Ben. Simon have any luck with that courage?" He half teased.

"He asked her tonight."

"Really?"

"Yes. She was... " He laughed remembering Zoe's expression. "Very excited, to say the least."

"I'm happy for those two. I really wish they could have waited and all, but their situation is kind of rare."

'YOU HAVE NO IDEA' Benjamin thought, but said, "I know, Mr. Sutcliff. Simon's a lucky guy."

"Zoe's every bit as lucky as he is. I have to say, when I found out she was pregnant, I was ready to kill some careless teenage boy, but then I met Simon in the hospital and he told me what happened to put her there and I was actually really impressed. I'm glad she's found someone so soon after losing her mother." Benjamin nodded. Zoe was lucky, yes. To have a mother and a father that care. But Simon was luckier because he had someone at all. "Well, I'm heading to bed. It's been a long day. Congratulate Simon for me when he comes in, all right?" Benjamin nodded. Harry Sutcliffe disappeared through the door on his right. Benjamin turned the music down out of courtesy and went back into his thoughts.


	16. Simon B

Simon leaned against the counter, organizing the bills in the cash register again for the millionth time then took to realigning the boxes in one of the aisles. That was when his fourth customer came in: a curvy blond with deep brown eyes. He boredly returned to the counter and waited for her. She handed him a few twenty dollar bills.

"Hey, cutie." She said, winking at him. "What are you doing out here so late? Don't you know it's dangerous?" He looked outside at the only car at the gas pump with a burly looking red-head leaning against a used car. Then he saw the dark-haired male in the back seat.

"Can't be too picky about jobs." Was all he said when he looked back at her. Then he saw that her eyes weren't brown at all: they were a dark red.

"Still, it would be sad to lose something as cute as you." She reached for his hand and he busied it with the register.

"I dare you to bite me, bitch." He said in such an undertone that he was sure the red-head couldn't hear, but the blond could. Her eyes were wide when he looked back up with a smirk. "You ran into a friend of mine the other night. Silvery hair, dark eyes, a little shorter than me?" She hissed. "So you do remember him?" He chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that."

"You are not one of us. You should not know what you know." She growled threateningly.

"And yet I do. Here's the thing though." He took her hand now and flexed his fingers. She winced. "I'm not one of you, no. Not completely. I'm better." He smirked again. "I'm strong and fast and I can't die. But I can live. You smell blood that will never run out." Her eyes widened. "I'm well-protected, you could say. I warn you not to cross me. There are more like me." He bluffed the last part of course, but the farther from Zoe these three killers were, the better. Her eyes were large red orbs now. She scowled. He gave her her change and smiled. "You've been warned." She jerked away and started out the door. Simon went back to his realigning a little more cheerfully, even catching himself humming a bit of Metallica. He chuckled.

"I can't believe it took me centuries in the moonlight to finally turn into a lunatic, but it happened." When he heard the morning birds start, he went back to the counter and waited for his replacement, Jackie, to come in. It was 7 when the sweet brunette came in.

"Hey, Simon. Ready to go home?" She asked. He laughed.

"I'm ready to sleep."

"How's Zoe?" She had been the one to train him so they'd filled up the empty hours by telling each other about themselves. Simon had told her the story they had come up with: his parents both worked two jobs to keep up him, his sister, and his cousin, their foster child since his father's brother and his wife had died. He'd told her the basic story of how he'd met Zoe; without all the gory details of course. When he'd finally told her that she was pregnant, she'd looked at him strangely and admitted that most guys didn't stick around at that age. He'd just smiled at her and said, 'Let's just say I'm mature for my age.'

"I asked her to marry me yesterday." She gasped.

"Oh my god, what did she say?"

"Well, yes, of course."

"Wow, Simon, that's great." He yawned.

"Yeah, she seemed to think so too." He chuckled.

"Hey, I'll question you tomorrow, okay?" She smiled at him. "Why don't you get home?" He nodded and waved, throwing the bright red apron over his shoulder, squeezing out of the smallest gap possible in the door. Not difficult for him, he was still only a small portion thicker than Zoe. When he got home, Benjamin was waiting by the door.

"I'm sorry, Benjamin, I'm afraid it's back to the closet with you again today."

"It's all right. It's not entirely uncomfortable in there. Zoe's father asked me to give you his congratulations." He said, grinning. Simon nodded, ready to go upstairs, but Benjamin caught his arm.

"What's wrong?"

"I really want to talk about Zoe's little friend." Simon thought about making fun of him for his little crush, but his tone told him it wasn't about that.

"Yeah?"

"I think she's not telling us something."

"And? Everyone's entitled to their secrets, Benjamin. You, Zoe, & I are keeping something from Lorraine as well." He pointed out, but Benjamin shook his head.

"That's for her protection. She's keeping something that may be dangerous for us." Simon rolled his eyes.

"Like what?"

"When she came here, you didn't smell the vampire on her?" Simon froze.

"You smelled that too?" He nodded. "I thought she was one at first, judging by how strong it was. It almost covered up the human scent. But then I remembered it was the middle of the day."

"That strong? She couldn't have traveled far from the vampire then. Maybe she's in with our friends?"

"No. That blond would get too jealous." He grinned. "Which reminds me. I ran into them." Benjamin's eyes widened in shock.

"When?"

"Tonight. About 4 hours ago. I think she's been hunting me." He smirked the exact same way he had at her. "She tried to moon-weave with me but I wouldn't look at her until I called her for what she was. Then she was too either scared or infuriated to think of it. I couldn't tell, both were emanating from her."

"What did you do?" His grin got wider.

"She remembers you, Benjamin. I described you to her and she didn't look too happy. Then I showed her what I could do." He almost looked maniacal now. "And I kind of told her that there was more like me. Of course there aren't but you know..."

"The more scared they are, the more likely they are to leave." Benjamin finished for him, nodding.

"But what about Lorraine?"

"I don't really know, Benjamin. I'll ask Zoe, maybe she said something that only one of us would have picked up on."

"Sorry to keep you up, Simon. You can go to bed."

"If only I could." He said with a sigh.

"Why can't you?" Simon listened upstairs. He heard Lorraine's light snores, but he didn't know what he was listening for because Zoe was a fairly quiet sleeper. Then he heard the bed springs creak. "She up?"

"I think so." But they didn't hear the doors open or close. Benjamin followed him up the stairs and looked over his shoulder with some difficulty when Simon opened the door. She was still asleep in bed.

"Doesn't she normally get up by now?" Benjamin whispered. He nodded. "Weird." But he shrugged and went back downstairs. Simon went over to the bed, kneeling beside it and brushing her cheek with his knuckles.

"Zoe? Sweetheart?" She moaned a little.

"Simon?" She said sleepily. He chuckled.

"Yes, love. Are you feeling all right?"

"What time is it?"

"Nearly eight thirty." Her eyes opened finally.

"Really?" He nodded. "I feel fine." He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Darling, I need to talk to you about something."

"What's wrong, Simon?"

"I need to tell you about the vampire that is killing in the area. Well, there are more than one, to start with."

"A camp of three. Benjamin told me that." Simon nodded. "I saw them early this morning. You wouldn't know what they were if you didn't know a basic description. There are two males and a female. The females a blond, Benjamin called her beautiful, but I didn't see it. The bigger of the two males is a red-head and the smaller is a dark-haired thin-looking one. Thinner than the female. The red-head... well, he would be intimidating to a normal human male." He said with a grin. "The female has a sweet voice, made for seducing. If you meet up with her somehow I trust you'll recognize her. Although the thin one looks more likely to be interested in one like you." He smiled wider and took her hand in his, fitting his thumb and forefinger easily around her wrist. "Not enough flesh for him, I'd guess. But just right for the small one. He may approach you much the way I did that night in the park. Very understanding." He kissed her again. "I just want to warn you so you know what you're looking for. You already know how to break a moon-weave." He added.

"I do?"

"You've done it with me before. The same night I could have so easily killed you if you hadn't." He chuckled. "You were angry with me."

"The second night you snuck up on me in the park." He nodded.

"When I scared you rather than the other way around. As you should have stayed, instead of falling in love with me." He smiled at her again.

"But why? Aren't you much happier that I did?"

"Of course I am, my silly little bird." He stroked her cheek again with his free hand. "I just wonder if it would have been better for you if you had never fallen for me. Maybe you would have been safer."

"Or I could be dead." She said angrily. "Who else would keep me inside at night? Those three could have already killed me if you weren't keeping me safe. Benjamin would have killed me if you hadn't pulled him off me." Simon shook his head.

"Benjamin only took you in the first place because my scent lingered with yours constantly." He rested a hand on her stomach. "It puzzled him why he never saw me though he watched you during near all hours of the night." She shook her head a little.

"Things couldn't be better for me Simon."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. If I didn't have you to take care of me, I'm very sure I would have gone insane." She smiled and kissed him. "It's nearly nine now. I need to get up. Benjamin still here?" He nodded and she got dressed. "I'll go down and help him out a little, you get some sleep." He suddenly remembered something else.

"Zoe." She turned back again.

"Yeah?"

"What has Lorraine told you about her life since she left here?" Zoe bit her lip.

"She's met someone. She told me he wasn't... normal. Not human. But I'm not sure what she meant." He nodded.

"Okay."

"Are you feeling okay?" She asked, sounding concerned. He smiled.

"Fine, love. I just need some sleep." She smiled back and left.


	17. Chapter 17 Zoe

A/N: Okay, yeah, I'm never EVER doing that again. If I ever notice things don't add up again, I'll just tie them together somehow in future chapters... and I'm immediately starting chapter 18 hopefully that wont take another year. Even though I feel like I already wrote it and it's just sitting somewhere...

* * *

Benjamin was waiting for her downstairs. He looked a little guilty again.

"What is it, Benjamin?"

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes.

"Is it ever nothing with you?" He grimaced.

"Sometimes."

"Is it now?" He didn't answer. She sighed and sat across from him. "What's wrong?"

"I think Lorraine knows about us." Zoe was confused.

"What?"

"I think she knows I'm a vampire and Simon used to be."

"You... you are?" Came a trembling voice at the middle of the staircase. Benjamin shook his head.

"This sneaking up on me business is getting ridiculous." Benjamin muttered and Zoe almost giggled. He looked up at Lorraine. "That depends on what you know."

"I... I don't believe you. You have dark hair." He smiled at the irony.

"I can't believe I had to change myself to fool someone that already knew." He told Zoe and shook his head. But then he froze. "Wait... you don't know any vampires with normal hair tones?" She shook her head and he sighed in relief, looking back at Zoe.

"She's not with the ones down here. That's what I was worried about."

"The ones down here?" She asked, coming the rest of the way down and sitting between Zoe and Benjamin. He shied from her, instinctively, Zoe guessed, but it appeared neither of the other two noticed.

"Yeah. They're doing the killing. A camp of three, two males and a female." She gasped.

"A big burly guy and a small one?" He nodded.

"That's why they didn't attack!" She said absently to herself. She stood and left the room. A few moments later, she came back. "Zoe, do you remember that guy I told you I met in Oregon?" Zoe nodded when she paused. "He's a vampire, that's what I wanted to tell you, but I didn't think he would want me to, so I didn't. I never would have dreamed you were already in on it!" She gasped. "What about Simon?" She looked at Benjamin. "Didn't you say he used to be one? What happened?"

"We don't really know." Benjamin answered, but Zoe held up her hand to silence him.

"I'll handle this one if you don't mind." Lorraine looked to her. "You remember that mark you saw the night before you left, the one you thought was a hickey?" She nodded. "Simon actually bit me." Zoe said with an apologetic grimace. "I couldn't tell you because I knew you'd think I was crazy. Soon after you left, I helped him kill his brother, who was the vampire responsible for creating both Simon and Benjamin. Benjamin really is Simon's cousin." She looked at him and he smiled sadly back. "He created Simon to kill the vampire who created him and when Simon escaped him and came after him, he created Benjamin for the sole purpose of destroying Simon. When Simon and I destroyed his brother, Christopher, he went away for a day or two then he left me a note to meet him at the park. I sat with him until the sun came up and that's when he died. A few weeks later this all started and then mom died then I found out I was pregnant then Benjamin kidnapped me..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?" Lorraine interrupted. "Ben kidnapped you?" Zoe and Benjamin grimaced together. They'd obviously both forgotten that she didn't know about that.

"Yeah. Uh, Ben, how about you explain this part?" Lorraine turned her attention to Benjamin.

"Well, you see, when Christopher changed me, he led me to believe Simon was with him so when I escaped and gained control of myself, all I wanted to do was kill them both for being such horrible monsters. So I spent years tracking Simon and Christopher, Simon more than his brother because he infuriated me with how clever he was. When I got word of the vicious murders, obviously done by more than one vampire, I came here as fast as I could. Finding Zoe was easy enough, she's not nearly as careful as she should be." He looked at her disapprovingly like Simon would and smirked. "I smelled his scent on her and followed her home. I watched her for weeks, looking out for Simon the entire time. But he was already long dead. So she was walking down the street after dark one night and I was tired of watching from afar. She was very distracted, so she was fairly easy to come down on. I made her invite me in and I asked her to tell me where Simon was."

"So I told him." Zoe added with an I-told-you-so smirk. He nodded at her and smiled.

"You did. I didn't believe her." He continued in the same serious voice. "I drained her just enough to get her to my place without any trouble. I figured if he loved her enough, he would come for her. How right I was. What I didn't think was that he would come back from his second death for her." Lorraine looked shocked and almost scared.

"You didn't... hurt her or anything, did you?" She asked him mouse-like.

"Good heavens, no!" Benjamin said, appalled. "I'm not a barbarian. I was just someone who was tired of being outsmarted. I maybe had her captive for 3 to 4 days. Then somehow, something fell to the floor one morning. She called my name, and I came. She was picking up the glass when I got there and I told her not to touch it. I suppose I had crept up on her because she jumped and cut herself. I hadn't fed in all the time she had been with me because I wasn't about to leave her alone. The fresh blood was just too much for me to take. I attacked her, her blood was... intoxicating... to say the very least. Then I was being ripped off of her by an impossible force. Before I could make sense of what was happening, I was looking at Simon, his face absolutely furious." He chuckled. "Naturally, I've never listened to the saying 'be careful what you wish for'. I ran. Then I found them again a week or two later at her home. Of course I only had to be invited in once, so I was in her room when they came up to bed. Simon held me down and told me the truth again. I had a lot to mull over, but then I decided he wouldn't like having deadly vampires in his area, because they finally told me that Zoe was expecting. I met the three vampires that are doing this. I was hunting and came across them. I told Simon and offered to help him any way I could with Zoe. Two days later, he came to me and told me he needed a babysitter." He smiled at Zoe. "Well, you basically know the rest." He told Lorraine.

"So you all just forgave him?"

"How can you not forgive a face like that?" Zoe said jokingly touching Benjamin's hand playfully and barely wincing.

"How about keeping it down?" Came a sleepy voice out of their sight. They heard a yawn.

"Sorry, Simon." She lowered her voice. "Well, he came back like he is now."

"Flesh and blood and bone with most of his powers still." Benjamin finished for her.

"I have to go call someone." She stood and walked off. They were both silent for a moment then she came back. "Um, Zoe? We have a slight problem." She sat back down. "Well, you see, the vampires used to be terrorizing our area in Oregon. The reason for the sudden visit is actually that my boyfriend sent me here to get away from them. Some plan, obviously. Well, I just called him now he and his brothers are on their way here."

"Benjamin, can they stay at your place? Obviously they can't stay here."

"I don't know, Zoe, they sound like they want to be closer to her."

"Well, your house is closer than Oregon, Benjamin." He sighed heavily.

"Oh, all right."

"Wait, how do you go home during the day?" Lorraine asked him.

"I don't. I was in the broom closet all day yesterday."

"And the dish yesterday morning...?"

"I'm sorry. It was just suddenly too much for me." She looked down at the table.

"But you have no problem being around Zoe." He seemed ashamed of himself then apologetic.

"Well, the last time I attacked Zoe, Simon very nearly tore me apart, all kidding aside. I've given up on the idea, to be honest. Her blood isn't worth it." He smiled at her jokingly. "So how long until your friends get here?" He asked Lorraine.

"By tonight."

"Wow, that's fast."

"Jets are fast like that."

"Jets?"

"They were fostered by a very wealthy couple, also vampires. They're home schooled and come and go as they please." She pushed her hair behind her ear without thinking. Benjamin flinched. "Oops. Sorry."

"No problem. Just didn't feed last night." Zoe got an idea.

"How do you feel about rats?"

"An okay substitute, I guess. Why?" Zoe stood and went to get her jacket.

"If Simon wakes up before we get back, tell him we'll we're gone to town for a bit." Lorraine stood and went with her out the door.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Pet stores sell rats for snakes and such, right?"

"Oh! I never would have thought about that."

"I just remembered Simon telling me about when he was still in England. He survived on rats and deer and stuff like that. And birds when he could catch them." She grimaced, remembering that one from personal experience. They rode the bus to town and returned two hours later with 6 fat rats. "Will this be enough?" She asked Benjamin.

"God bless you, lassie." He smiled and took the bag from her.

"Any chance you could take it where we can't hear it squeak?" He was standing up as Lorraine said this.

"I was planning on it." He told her and took it away. Zoe turned the TV up just in case. They heard the heavy footsteps of Simon coming down the stairs, half-asleep. Zoe jumped and turned it down as he came into the living room.

"I'm sorry baby, I forgot."

"It's all right." Lorraine moved over and he sat next to Zoe on the couch.


	18. Chapter 18 Zoe

It was another hour before Benjamin rejoined them. There was the smallest fleck of blood on his chin but other than that you could never have guessed what he had just been doing.

"Better?" Simon asked.

"You have no idea." He sat on the arm of the sofa on the other side of Zoe. He was quiet for about a minute then stood and announced he was going to bed. Simon went back upstairs less than an hour later. Zoe waited just long enough for him crash and then turned to Lorraine.

"So, you have to tell me about this guy." She said happily.

"Liam? God, Zoe, he's the kind of guy you would never have expected me to fall for. Not bad or an ass or anything. He's gorgeous, of course, it's one of the wonderful things about vampires, they're all very nice to look at when they're not trying to kill you. He's a gentleman." She finished almost sheepishly.

"A gentleman? You're right, I never would have imagined you with a guy like him." Lorraine screamed in shock and dove at her friend while Zoe laughed. "Whoa, whoa, easy, Lor. Fragile state." She laughed harder but Lorraine quickly got back on her side of the couch, completely sobered.

"I'm so sorry, Zoe, I totally forgot."

"It's fine, Lorraine, I try my best to forget when I can." She still smiled at her friend so she relaxed. They settled back down to watching the TV for another intense six hours or so. Simon came back and pulled Zoe to him. They knew when it was heading for dark when Benjamin came to join them, stretching out his long day's sleep. It was about 15 minutes after that when Lorraine got the call. She only stayed on long enough to give Liam directions from the airport. Then it was a nerve-racking hour and a half wait for him and his brothers to get there from the airport. They hadn't even knocked yet before Benjamin and Simon jumped up and started for the door. Lorraine and Zoe sat in confusion for half a minute then came to follow the guys. The door was already open with three tall silvery-haired boys standing there, one of which was hugging Benjamin.

"Um, Benjamin, I take it you do know them?" Zoe asked.

"This is Liam and Aidan and Renny. They were the first other vampires I met after Christopher changed me. I lived with them until the blight then we all came over here. They came ahead of me, though and I never did find them again. They did their best to help me search for you." He said to Simon.

"Him?" Aidan asked. "You mean to say you found him and he still lives?"

"He was never in league with Christopher. We were both just a grand game to him. One that came back to bite him in the end." He said with a grin at Simon. "And that scrawny little creature behind him is Zoe."

"His mate." Renny said quietly as he took his turn to greet his old friend. "I could smell her burden from the bus stop. But I did not sense another of us." He finished, eyeing Simon.

"That, my friend is a long story. Zoe, could you invite them in so we don't all burn?" He asked teasingly.

"Of course, come in, won't you?" The troupe filed in silently, though giving Simon and Zoey both a wide berth.

"Was it a nice trip? Sans the bus, I mean." Lorraine asked.

"Of course it was, Liam was worrying about you the whole flight, Renny was snoring, and I was in the middle seat. Excellent flight."

"It's good to see my worries were unfounded with you under the protection of the great Benjamin Bristol." He said with a mild punch on Ben's shoulder.

"Yeah yeah, you were just lucky I didn't take a bite out of her." He joked, returning the blow.

"We stopped and got something to eat before we got on the bus. That's what took us so long, anyhow. So what's the situation with the other camp?"

"Simon had a run in with the blonde one last night. She'd been hunting him, we think."

"Is she still hunting him?"

"Nope, Simon scared her good."

"But we could have used that to lure them in!"

"My first priority is keeping Zoe safe." Simon finally interjected firmly.

"Right. And he couldn't very well have them following him here." Benjamin added.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think. Renny said you were mates." He looked at Lorraine. "Then you stay here while we're hunting these bastards." Lorraine looked put off.

"I want to stay with you!"

"You're safer here. I suppose so, anyway. Where _are_ we luring them to, if not here?"

"My home. Where we'll all be staying. Zoe's father is expecting Lorraine, and I've been staying here the last few nights while I watch the girls, but my place isn't far."

"And on the subject of watching the girls, I have to go to work." Simon kissed Zoe's head and left the house. Zoe saw the new vampires relax at once.

"I saw that." Benjamin commented.

"I still want to know what happened." Benjamin groaned.

"Wait, wait, we can tell them." Lorraine offered. "Zoe and I know what happened."

"Knock yourselves out."


End file.
